7 MORE TOXIC DUMP SITES CLEANED, EPA TO ANNOUNCE

EPA says it has completed work at 37 sites and has declared 13 clean since the cleanup effort began seven years ago. At another seven sites, all work as been completed except groundwater pumping for purification, which may continue for years or decades.Often chided for the small number of cleanups completed, EPA says such "maintenance" pumping will continue to keep the number of "walkaway" cleanups small.

Two more sites were chosen for a cleanup declaration last month. Those two and the seven announced Thursday are subject to public comment before the declaration is made formally.

The agency has estimated that there may be 25,000 sites needing attention, including 10 in Utah. Most are small, but 951 have been chosen for a priority list eligible for federal cleanup funds from the Superfund program. Some 149 of those have not been formally placed on the list.

EPA says it has completed 604 initial site investigations, decided on a cleanup for 230 and has done some actual cleanup work, as opposed to mere paperwork, at 189 sites.